diff --git a/deltachat-ffi/deltachat.h b/deltachat-ffi/deltachat.h
index 02bafa3c7..e72ec77b4 100644
--- a/deltachat-ffi/deltachat.h
+++ b/deltachat-ffi/deltachat.h
@@ -4669,7 +4669,7 @@ void dc_event_unref(dc_event_t* event);
  * Inform about the configuration progress started by dc_configure().
  *
  * @param data1 (int) 0=error, 1-999=progress in permille, 1000=success and done
- * @param data2 0
+ * @param data2 (char*) progress comment, error message or NULL if not applicable
  */
 #define DC_EVENT_CONFIGURE_PROGRESS       2041
 
@@ -4733,7 +4733,7 @@ void dc_event_unref(dc_event_t* event);
 
 
 #define DC_EVENT_DATA1_IS_STRING(e)  0    // not used anymore 
-#define DC_EVENT_DATA2_IS_STRING(e)  ((e)==DC_EVENT_IMEX_FILE_WRITTEN || ((e)>=100 && (e)<=499))
+#define DC_EVENT_DATA2_IS_STRING(e)  ((e)==DC_EVENT_CONFIGURE_PROGRESS || (e)==DC_EVENT_IMEX_FILE_WRITTEN || ((e)>=100 && (e)<=499))
 
 
 /*
diff --git a/deltachat-ffi/src/lib.rs b/deltachat-ffi/src/lib.rs
index 0ff77c69a..57bce29ba 100644
--- a/deltachat-ffi/src/lib.rs
+++ b/deltachat-ffi/src/lib.rs
@@ -372,7 +372,7 @@ pub unsafe extern "C" fn dc_event_get_data1_int(event: *mut dc_event_t) -> libc:
             let id = id.unwrap_or_default();
             id as libc::c_int
         }
-        EventType::ConfigureProgress(progress) | EventType::ImexProgress(progress) => {
+        EventType::ConfigureProgress { progress, .. } | EventType::ImexProgress(progress) => {
             *progress as libc::c_int
         }
         EventType::ImexFileWritten(_) => 0,
@@ -405,7 +405,7 @@ pub unsafe extern "C" fn dc_event_get_data2_int(event: *mut dc_event_t) -> libc:
         | EventType::ErrorSelfNotInGroup(_)
         | EventType::ContactsChanged(_)
         | EventType::LocationChanged(_)
-        | EventType::ConfigureProgress(_)
+        | EventType::ConfigureProgress { .. }
         | EventType::ImexProgress(_)
         | EventType::ImexFileWritten(_)
         | EventType::ChatModified(_) => 0,
@@ -453,11 +453,17 @@ pub unsafe extern "C" fn dc_event_get_data2_str(event: *mut dc_event_t) -> *mut
         | EventType::ChatModified(_)
         | EventType::ContactsChanged(_)
         | EventType::LocationChanged(_)
-        | EventType::ConfigureProgress(_)
         | EventType::ImexProgress(_)
         | EventType::SecurejoinInviterProgress { .. }
         | EventType::SecurejoinJoinerProgress { .. }
         | EventType::ChatEphemeralTimerModified { .. } => ptr::null_mut(),
+        EventType::ConfigureProgress { comment, .. } => {
+            if let Some(comment) = comment {
+                comment.to_c_string().unwrap_or_default().into_raw()
+            } else {
+                ptr::null_mut()
+            }
+        }
         EventType::ImexFileWritten(file) => {
             let data2 = file.to_c_string().unwrap_or_default();
             data2.into_raw()
diff --git a/examples/repl/main.rs b/examples/repl/main.rs
index c216157e2..9e5b32922 100644
--- a/examples/repl/main.rs
+++ b/examples/repl/main.rs
@@ -80,11 +80,21 @@ fn receive_event(event: EventType) {
                 yellow.paint(format!("Received LOCATION_CHANGED(contact={:?})", contact))
             );
         }
-        EventType::ConfigureProgress(progress) => {
-            info!(
-                "{}",
-                yellow.paint(format!("Received CONFIGURE_PROGRESS({} ‰)", progress))
-            );
+        EventType::ConfigureProgress { progress, comment } => {
+            if let Some(comment) = comment {
+                info!(
+                    "{}",
+                    yellow.paint(format!(
+                        "Received CONFIGURE_PROGRESS({} ‰, {})",
+                        progress, comment
+                    ))
+                );
+            } else {
+                info!(
+                    "{}",
+                    yellow.paint(format!("Received CONFIGURE_PROGRESS({} ‰)", progress))
+                );
+            }
         }
         EventType::ImexProgress(progress) => {
             info!(
diff --git a/examples/simple.rs b/examples/simple.rs
index 863960ea3..4f84db137 100644
--- a/examples/simple.rs
+++ b/examples/simple.rs
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ use deltachat::EventType;
 
 fn cb(event: EventType) {
     match event {
-        EventType::ConfigureProgress(progress) => {
+        EventType::ConfigureProgress { progress, .. } => {
             log::info!("progress: {}", progress);
         }
         EventType::Info(msg) => {
diff --git a/src/configure/mod.rs b/src/configure/mod.rs
index 8783fd30e..0d25c5baf 100644
--- a/src/configure/mod.rs
+++ b/src/configure/mod.rs
@@ -27,12 +27,18 @@ use auto_outlook::outlk_autodiscover;
 use server_params::{expand_param_vector, ServerParams};
 
 macro_rules! progress {
-    ($context:tt, $progress:expr) => {
+    ($context:tt, $progress:expr, $comment:expr) => {
         assert!(
             $progress <= 1000,
             "value in range 0..1000 expected with: 0=error, 1..999=progress, 1000=success"
         );
-        $context.emit_event($crate::events::EventType::ConfigureProgress($progress));
+        $context.emit_event($crate::events::EventType::ConfigureProgress {
+            progress: $progress,
+            comment: $comment,
+        });
+    };
+    ($context:tt, $progress:expr) => {
+        progress!($context, $progress, None);
     };
 }
 
@@ -111,7 +117,7 @@ impl Context {
                 Ok(())
             }
             Err(err) => {
-                progress!(self, 0);
+                progress!(self, 0, Some(err.to_string()));
                 Err(err)
             }
         }
diff --git a/src/events.rs b/src/events.rs
index a0c5b07ce..87006a49b 100644
--- a/src/events.rs
+++ b/src/events.rs
@@ -233,10 +233,16 @@ pub enum EventType {
     LocationChanged(Option<u32>),
 
     /// Inform about the configuration progress started by configure().
-    ///
-    /// @param data1 (usize) 0=error, 1-999=progress in permille, 1000=success and done
     #[strum(props(id = "2041"))]
-    ConfigureProgress(usize),
+    ConfigureProgress {
+        /// Progress.
+        ///
+        /// 0=error, 1-999=progress in permille, 1000=success and done
+        progress: usize,
+
+        /// Progress comment or error, something to display to the user.
+        comment: Option<String>,
+    },
 
     /// Inform about the import/export progress started by imex().
     ///